Portals - which is best?

[Texasgrillchef]

I have a badlands Sasquatch. No current lifts. Still running stock.

i am wanting to go with some portals.

i see two companies, there maybe more that I am missing. However one is $16,000 and the other is $25,000. That’s not a small difference but a difference of $9,000

hat would I be getting for $9,000 more then I’m not getting with the 16,000.

I will be upgrading my tires to 37” when I get the portals done.

which is best? Is there another portal I’m missing?

https://werewolftech.com/en/catalog/portal-axles/portal-gearboxes-for-ford-bronco-2021

https://motorsports.74weld.com/product/4-gear-bronco-portal/

https://broncbustertx.com/products/portals

Sponsored

 

[Lcubed]

haven't seen any reports of the werewolf portal out in the wild here in the states.

the jump from 74weld to tibus seems to be a greater increase in width, many more bolts to cut (2 vs ~16), cutting of various tabs and the possibility of CTIS with the tibus proprietary wheels.

if you read both 74weld's and tibus's install instructions, 74weld's are much more bolt on.

 

[kpark_67]

74Weld is race proven on Ultra 4's, Jeeps and the Bronco. The Broncos that have won KOH were running 74Welds and have never broken. They are $20K. Gears are straight cut. That is "supposed" to make them louder but I haven't heard that from people that actually have them, just from BroncBuster. They make their own Portals in house.

The BroncBuster are about $25K. Durability is unknown since they are new. Their selling point is spiral cut gears which they claim make them quieter. They don't make them in house.

Never hear of Werewolf Tech.

 

[kpark_67]

Basically, it is a lot of dough whoever you choose. All things being equal, personally I would choose the ones that are proven. 74Weld will back theirs up for life if you can break them. No one has yet.

 

[userdude]

Werewolf I believe are rare due to the Ukraine war.

Tibus (BB) have been around a while in Europe, if I understand that correctly. They offer a larger lift (5") but are wider and need a larger positive offset wheel. So they come with rims that are +65mm. These use a three-gear helical gearset, so the poke is greater. There's a thread from a Bronco owner down in Houston that got a set about 6-8 months ago, you might look for it.

74Weld are a smaller lift (3.88", or closer to 3.5" given IFS according to Quinn). These are newer to the recreational market, although 75W is famous (infamous?) in off road racing for their supposedly uncompetitive advantage (I believe they are $35k but not everyone wants to/can buy them, hence infamous because you win races with them). These use a straight cut gearset with four gears that is identical in all their recreational portal platforms (Jeep, Tacoma, Bronco[, Chevy Colarado and Ford Ranger soon??]). Note that both Tibus and 74W utilize a 1.22 regear ratio.

The 74W Jeep rec version has been out a couple years by now I think? The Bronco versions were just released at the end of the year. See this thread for everything you want to know:

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/74weld-bronco-portals-now-available.78575/

I see BB has marked the Tibus up a lot. I thought they were selling for under $10k not that long ago (around the time he started making videos, not quite a year ago), but I may be mistaken.

Personally, I would only go 74W. Great company, great products, probably indestructible housings and riser (6061/7075 aluminum), Quinn's been around serious off road for two decades and the racing scene for 15+ years, and been producing custom aerospace parts for about 15 years (where he gets the equipment/know how to make his parts). They're also cheaper, as it were...

Full disclosure: I have the 74W billet rack. Great buying experience. Very nice, durable stuff, even for the money they charge.

74W has been at pains to show their portals on stock Broncos, so if you see the white 2dr Bronco (a WT) on Youtube, that's a "bone stock" with Method Bead Grips and 38's.

 

[5GENIDN]

74 Weld hands down... Not even close.... Look at the whole "kit".

74 Weld replaces the front knuckle, New full float hardened rear axle shafts, new brake line block that allows lengthening without cutting the lines... It is a full and complete kit. No lights on the dash (if you install the wheel speed sensors correctly the first time )

Then there is the service. I purchased my portals through 74 Weld, and I purchased my new tie rods through 74 as well.... Received the portals but no tie rods. Called Quinn. He said looks like the RPG Tie rods were waiting on boots that were on back order... they were supose to ship directly to me. So he overnight aired some ford performance tie rods to me because he "wanted me to get up and running asap".... no charge!!!! about a week later I received the other tie rods. Need to change them out now.

NEVER had a company treat me so well. I have had very good service from some but... $500 tie rods for no charge when the back order was with another manufacturer???

Also. You break any of their parts... send them back for any reason. they will replace. These things are so well made I know I will never break them. They are a 4 gear set up... Tibus is a 3 gear helical. I do not like the lateral force that the tibus has to withstand. None of that with the 74 portals.... And yes, they are quiet... I can not hear them at any speed. Stock wind noise and tire noise are way too loud to hear them.

And I am running my stock wheels....

EDIT: and forgot to list new larger brake rotors... I know there are other things I am missing... BUT you have NOTHING else to get... You do have to replace the stock tie rods IF you add the 74 weld steering rack... WHICH by the way I believe is more game changing and important than the portals.

 

[Lcubed]

Werewolf I believe are rare due to the Ukraine war.

Tibus (BB) have been around a while in Europe, if I understand that correctly. They offer a larger lift (5") but are wider and need a larger positive offset wheel. So they come with rims that are +65mm. These use a three-gear helical gearset, so the poke is greater. There's a thread from a Bronco owner down in Houston that got a set about 6-8 months ago, you might look for it.

...

I see BB has marked the Tibus up a lot. I thought they were selling for under $10k not that long ago (around the time he started making videos, not quite a year ago), but I may be mistaken.

i do remember back when BB was at the 16K$ point, but looking at their current website, it's not at all clear what comes with that 25k$.

their installation instructions mention CTIS in passing, don't mention their tibus specific wheels at all (or how to plumb them) if they are included. and there's multiple pictures of their portalled vehicle without the tibus wheels

they do list the tibus CTIS wheels as a separate product

 

[5GENIDN]

i do remember back when BB was at the 16K$ point, but looking at their current website, it's not at all clear what comes with that 25k$.

their installation instructions mention CTIS in passing, don't mention their tibus specific wheels at all (or how to plumb them) if they are included. and there's multiple pictures of their portalled vehicle without the tibus wheels

they do list the tibus CTIS wheels as a separate product

And 74 Weld obviously employs a technical writer that does government (NASA / DOD) work. Best, most complete instructions I have ever seen from a aftermarket supplier. And then they have complete videos on top of that.... It is impressive. When showing pics they want you to KNOW what part they are talking about and overlay it in color.... Makes it PAINFULLY obvious what part they are talking about while it is on the vehicle. (rest of pic is in black and white).

 

[userdude]

i do remember back when BB was at the 16K$ point, but looking at their current website, it's not at all clear what comes with that 25k$.

their installation instructions mention CTIS in passing, don't mention their tibus specific wheels at all (or how to plumb them) if they are included. and there's multiple pictures of their portalled vehicle without the tibus wheels

they do list the tibus CTIS wheels as a separate product

I don't know that much about them. I'm not really interested in them, and everything I know (or think I know) is in that text.

 

[Lcubed]

I don't know that much about them. I'm not really interested in them, and everything I know (or think I know) is in that text.

their website description is woefully inadequate to justify their pricing
(fwiw, the tibus EU website is equally vague)

 

[BigMeatsBronco]

Know this...everything BroncBuster does and sells is crap...some of us know better than to follow fools.

 

[userdude]

their website description is woefully inadequate to justify their pricing
(fwiw, the tibus EU website is equally vague)

I feel like the comparison of the two comes down to this characterization:

"Look, we built something cool/useful!"

vs

"After lots of careful engineering, real world testing, analysis and working with our partners, we're releasing a product we have a lot of confidence in."

If BB's Tibus set doesn't come with the 65mm rims, I would wonder what the cost is about. My understanding (as I said, I think I know this) is that they're cast. Quinn has stated several times the high cost comes in the materials, e.g. the 6061/7075 aluminum, plus the time on the machines (that he owns). I assume the Spidertrax are also expensive. I don't know what the Tibus gears are like.

I've made it clear which one I'm comfortable giving that kind of money to for a product like this.

 

[Lcubed]

the Tibus CTIS forged wheels might be the difference.

they're a cool 1500$/ea, but the website wheel description is for adding on to 'our portals' or others..

that website really needs to have specs or at a list of what's included in the package

 

[mcinfantry]

the Tibus CTIS forged wheels might be the difference.

they're a cool 1500$/ea, but the website wheel description is for adding on to 'our portals' or others..

that website really needs to have specs or at a list of what's included in the package

Why? People just need to know it’s a ‘deal’ and they line up to buy it

of course if you ask too many questions it will get you in trouble

quite a few vendors on every board I’ve ever been on do it

 

[Lcubed]

of course if the vendor answers too many questions it will get them in trouble

fixed that for you

Sponsored